Binary gaseous heat engine



April 4, 1950 N. B. WALES BINARY GAsEous HEAT ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Jan. 30, 1948 f//Il/ lNvENToR April 4,. 1.950 N B, WALES 2,502,542

Y BINARY GASEOUS HEAT ENGINE Filed Jan. 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tlq.5*

. IN V EN TOR.

April 4, 1950 N. B. WALES 2,502,542

BINARY GASEOUS HEAT ENGINE Filed Jan. 50, 1948 y l 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 "3-P NVENTOR d6 48 l 45 wfg- Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES NrrrrENfrorFlcE BINARY IGALSEOUS 'HEAT ENGINE Nathaniel B. Wales,.New York, N.Y., assigner to 'Industrial Patent Corporation, New York, N. Y.

Application January 30, 1948, vflerialNo.15,365

(Cl. 60-l4l over-all'heig'ht of the 4engine is minimized by Ipositioningthe heatI labsorption lsurface of the fair engine:adiacent'andl-exterior to a double-acting cylinder, which serves fboththe internal vcombustion engine and the air engine.

This construction yprovides ya short and low resistance path for the nowof the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine over 'theheatabsorption surfaces Aof the air-engine, aswell as vproviding a shortand low resistance path for the yoscillationfol'the working-fluid of theair engine between the lower end of the double-acting piston lservingthe unitary 'cylinder andthe heat absorption elements. This is essential'to the eiicient vand high speed operation ofthe vbinary system. f

A further object is to develop a relative high over-load factor insucha-binary engine in 'Vorder to approximate the flexibility ofy thevariable cut-01T steam engine, by injecting, Pin timed rela'- tion tothe timed heat transfer between 'the two engine cycles, a predeterminedadditional heat mass which augments and/or prolongs the normal intervalof heat interchange inherent in the binary cycle. This additional heatsource Vmay enter the heat transfer chamber, vwherein the heat absorbingsurface of the air engine is positioned, just at a time when the .normalinterval -oi heat interchange is terminating so that it will notincreaseor generate additional back-pressure for the normal exhaust ofthe internal combustion engine.' This additional increment of heatincreases the mean elective pressure of the working-Huid vduring theexpansion stroke of the -air engine above that-of normal rmaximumoperation. I'he maximum of power generated by the binary engine may 4be`increased by approximately twenty to twenty-live percent. The apparatusnecessary for this-over-load is simple and inexpensive and may be madeto cut-in or cut-out -automatically.

Additional objects and pertinentdetails will -be more specificallydescribed and illustrated in the following specications Vand drawingswhich illustrate .-an embodiment of this invention, wherein similarnumerals referto similar parts. Y

-Figure l is -a timing diagram .of the binary engine cycle. Thereferences around the exterior of the heavy circle refer to the internallcombustion cycle, while the references von the inside of the circlerefer to the air engine.

Figure 2 is an elevation in section taken on line 2 2 in Figure 3.

. Figure 3 is a section in plan, taken-on line 3--3 l`in Figure 2,showing in particular a section of the -clearance volume of thetwo-cycle Diesel engine. Figure4is a sectioninplan taken on line t-- inFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a partial elevation, in section taken `on line 5--5 kinFigure 4, showing the path of the working-huid of the air engine and itsvarying volume as dictated "by the llower end of the binary eng-inespiston and showing the relative position of the heat absorbing elements,heat interchanger and `.cooling surfaces in the path of flow of theWorking-huid. f Figure 6 is `a ysection infelevation, taken on line 6--6in Figure 4, showing the entryduct from the exhaust valve of theinternal combustion engine to the heat interchangechamber in which isposi- 'tionedthe heat absorption element of the air engine. This viewyalso shows'the timed automatic injecting and ignition mechanism forgenerating an additional heating interval for increasing the airvengines output.

Referring to Figure 2, numeral AI is the engine ycylinder in which fitsa Vdouble-acting piston 2 having-'on its upper end piston rings 3sealing the internal combustion engine end of piston 2 :and rings '4 on`the lower -end sealing the air engine end of the piston 2. Piston rod5, secured to Vand vprojecting from the lower end of piston 2 passesthrough -sealinggland 6 inthe lower cylinder head I4 and is secured.into cross-head block l, which has suitable cross-head bearing surfaces-8 in engine frame '9. Connecting -rod I0 is conventionally journaled incross-head l at its upper endand journaled in crank shaft I I at itslower end. YA crankcase I 2 having suitable bearings therein (not shown)supports crank shaft :I I. Any-wheel I3 is secu-red to crank shaft I2. Aclearance volume for the internal combustion engine is formed by vacha-mbered recess i6 inthe underside of cylinder head I5 conventionallysecured Ito cylinder I. This chambered recess I 6 also lforms aregistering passage between Ythe ex- `haust valve Il Yand thedisplacement of piston fuel pump mechanism thereof is not shown in viewof its well established structure and operation. Exhaust valve I1 isseated on a conventional water cooled valve seat I9. The stem of theexhaust valve I1 passes through chamber 2I, see Figure 6, and terminatesbeyond valve guide-bearing 22. A collar 23, secured to the lower end ofstem 29, engages a spring 24 which by its biased compression normallymaintains valve I1 in a closed position on valve seat I9. Valveactuating tappet 25, sustained in bearings 26 and 21, is biased downwardby virtue of spring 28 under compression between the bearing member 21and the collar 25 formed on the lower end of valve tappet 25.

A gear 30 secured to crank shaft I I, see Figures 3 and 4, meshes withidler gear 3l, which in turn meshes with gear 32 secured to valve shaft33 which is journaled in bearing 34 and others not shown. On valve shaft33, suitably secured thereto, is cam 35 which by its rotation lifts thecollar 29 and through the engagement of tappet 25 with valve stem 20overcomes the bias of springs 24 and 28 thereby raising exhaust valve I1from its seat I9. In this manner exhaust valve I1 is opened at eachrevolution of crank shaft II during the approximate conventionalinterval defined in timing diagram and denoted by V--X.

As is :conventional in Diesel engine two-cycle practise I show apositive displacement blower 36, which is shown driven by directconnected motor 14 and which utilizes impellers 31 and 33 synchronizedin their rotation to force air through the blower chamber 36 from inletopening 39 into the inlet valve port chamber 40, which is in opencommunication with multiple inlet ports 4I in cylinder I.

Referring to Figure 6, the exhaust duct 29 leading from exhaust valve I1opens into exhaust heat-transfer chamber 42, the top of which is closedby cover 80. In chamber 42 are positioned a plurality of tubularelements 43 which compose the heat absorbing surface of the air engine.An exhaust port 44 allows the exhaust gases to leave chamber 42 afterthey have traversed the heat absorbing surface 43. The tubular heatabsorption elements 43 closed at their upper end 45 are expanded intoheader element 48 at their open lower end and are in open communicationwith the chamber 41 formed by header ele- I ment 48. Header element 48hermetically sealed around its ilanged portion 50 is recessed in acompanion annulus in chamber 42 and secured therein by bolts 5I. It isto be noted that by removing the lower cylinder head -I4 the heatinterchanger 52 and heat absorber 43 secured to header 48 can be easilyremoved for servicing.

The heat interchanger 52 is composed of a multitude of small tubescompacted in parallelism to form a low-resistance path through whichVthe working-fluid of the air engine oscillates as dictated by thereciprocation of piston 2 in cylinder I, which is in open communicationwith the interchanger 52 through passage 53 formed in the lower cylinderhead I4.

The heat interchanger 52 absorbs the heat from the heated working-fluidas it expands as piston 2 rises in cylinder I to the position shown inFigure 5, causing a downward flow through the interchanger 52, theWorking-fluid having previously been heated in tubular heat absorbingelements 43 during the interval piston 2 was in its downward position incylinder I, thereby forcing the dense working-fluid of the air engineinto element 43, at the interval exhaust valve I1 opened and dischargedits Waste heat thereon. In this manner a timed heat wave from valve I1impinges on tubular elements 43. As the piston 2 reaches the upward endof its stroke, as is seen in Figure 5, the working-fluid has expandedinto cylinder I, contacting the relatively cool Walls 54 thereof, aswell as the Water-cooled surface of cylinder-head I4 and is therebycontracted in volume by the lowering of its mean temperature to be againcompressed at a comparative low temperature as compared to the meantemperature of its prior expansion. As piston 2 again starts to fall incylinder I it forces the cooled working-liuid through heat interchanger52 and in its passage therethrough it picks up the heat depositedtherein during the prior expansionstroke to again complete its cycle.The heat transfer efliciency of the interchanger is approximately ninetypercent.

In order to develop an over-load factor in the binary engine, anadditional timed interval, see X-Z, Figure 1, of heat absorption, afterthe normal heat interchange between the two engine cycles composing thebinary system (V--X, Figure l), is provided by the absorption into theworking-fluid of the constant-mass air engine heat generated by the fuelburner, see Figure 6, composed of a fuel supply pipe which enters valvechamber 58. The fuel supply pipe 51 is supported by `casing 59 which issuitably secured to and communicating with chamber 42.

A dual Venturi-structure, the first, formed by sleeve 69 which surroundsthe fuel valve 5I in chamber 5-8 and permits a high velocity airstreamto flow around valve GII from an airpressure supply entering casing 59at inlet 52 from a source not shown. The second structure is formed bythe outer periphery of sleeve BIJ together with a companion annulus 63extending from casing 59 which supplements the Orifice formed by theinterior of sleeve 6l) and the valve chamber 58,`

In valve chamber 5B the stem 64 of valve '5I passes through sealinggland 55 and terminates in a collar 65 secured thereto. Spring 31,interposed between member 65 and collar 55 maintains valve 6 I in aclosed position until cam 68 secured within and extending beyond eachend of air port 69 in rotary valve 19 makes contact with collar 66 andopens valve 6I as valve 1I! is rotated by shaft 12 at one-half the speedof crank shaft II (connecting mechanism not shown). At this time airport 59 in valve 19 permits air under pressure entering duct 52 to flowtherethrough and atomize the fuel passing through valve 6I, as well assupplying the necessary air to support combustion. An electric ignitionsystem connected to spark plug 1I and timed in synchronism with theopening of air valve 10 ignites the combustible mixture.

The timed interval during which fuel valve 5I and air valve 19 areopened and spark plug 1I is energized thereby supplying an additionalincrement of heat to the heat absorbing elements 43 in the air engineand increasing the mean effective pressure of its working-fluid duringthe expansion stroke above that existing during normal operation, seeFigure l, X-Z. This overload factor may be set in operation manually orby automatic mechanism dictated by a critical torque-revolutions perminute responsive apparatus connected to the engines load.

In a marine installation for emergency reverse or for maneuvering thisover-load factor is highly desirable, as well as in certain automotivefields.

InV order to maintain: apredeterminedi pressure of ainwhich is`r the`working medium of the air engine', in the clearance volume of the airengine asde'ned'byfthe volumes A, B, C and' D in Figure respectively,representing' the displacement of piston 2 in cylinder. il, the traversepassage 53 formedf in: lowerY` cylinder head M, thevolume of themultiple tubes in the heat interchanger i2 and? the volume Within heatabsorbing tubes 3, I employ an automatic air pumping system similar tothat fully described in my application Serial Number'2g164 whichconsists."v of an air pumping cylinder 18, see Figure 4, operatedby cam79 on valve shaft 33; 'Ilhisautoma'tic air-pumping system is equivalentto any well known air system that supplies air at a predeterminedpressure .and

cuts in and out as the desired' air pressure reaches or` falls below thecritical' pressure limits. The compressed air is delivered via pipe intoclearance volume A, see Figure 2, of the air engine. A manual airrelease valve 'Hi in pipe line 'l5 allows the Working-fluid of the airengine to be vented through port 'Il to stop the operation of the airengine. The air engine efficiently operates on an approximate pressureof 600 p. s. i.

Inasmuch as the companion application Serial Number 2,164 discloses theoperation of the identical binary system, based on the exhaust heatinterchange set up between an internal combustion engine and aconstant-mass air engine no further explanation is necessary on theoperation of the system.

To those skilled in the art it is evident that this rinvention alsoteaches that step in the art on constant mass air engines, whenconsidered'as a separate entity entirely apart from a binary heatengine, which consists of generating a timed heat impulse or Wave whichis allowed to impinge on the heat absorption surface of the air engineat the most effective and eiicient interval during each complete cycleto obtain the maximum difference of mean eifective pressure between thatgenerated during compression and that generated during expansion. Duringthe remaining interval of each cycling of the air engine no fuel isconsumed or heat transmitted to the absorption surface of the engine andtherefore no Waste occurs. When this step is considered in respect toconventional teaching wherein a constantburning occurs throughout therepeated cycling of the air engine the thermic advantages are quiteapparent.

What I desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is encompassedin the following claims:

1. In a heat engine,.the combination comprising a combustion chamber andan air chamber,

v said combustion chamber positioned above said air chamber in acylinder, cooling means enclosing said cylinder, a double-acting pistoneach end thereof serving respectively said combustion chamber and saidair chamber, a shaft, means for converting reciprocation of said pistoninto rotation of said shaft, said double-acting piston in said cylinderproducing a minimum volume of said combustion chamber with acorresponding maximum volume of said air chamber, an exhaust valve forsaid combustion chamber, a hollow heat-absorbing element in opencommunication with said air chamber, said heat-absorbing elementpositioned in a heat-transfer cha-mber exterior to said cylinder, meansto operate said combustion chamber as a two-cycle internal combustionengine, means for operating said air chamber as a constant-mass airengine, duct means conveying the. exhaust from said exhaust valve into:saidheat transfer chamber and means for causingv the: exhaust gases fromsaid combustion chamber timed by said exhaust valve to heatperiodically. the air mass in'- said heat-absorbing element at the timeof` minimum Volume of said air chamber andt maximum volume of saidcombustion chamber..

2. In a heat, engine, the combination comprising. a combustion. chamberandan air: chamber positioned. one` above the other in a cylinder,cooling means jacketing said cylinder, a doubleacting, piston each end'thereof serving respectively said combustion chamber and said airchamber', a shaft, means for converting reciprocation of said pistoninto rotation of said shaft,A said. double-acting. piston in saidcylinder effecting ra:l minimnrn4 volume of saidI combustion chamberwith a corresponding maximum volume of said air chamber, an exhaustvalve for said combustion chamber, heat-absorbing elements in opencommunication with said air chamber, said heat-absorbing elementspositioned in a heat-transfer chamber exterior to said cylinder, meansto operate said combustion chamber as a two-cycle internal combustionengine, means for operating said air chamber as a constant-mass airengine, duct means conducting the exhaust from said exhaust Valve intosaid heat-transfer chamber, said exhaust valve causing the exhaust gasesfrom said combustion chamber to heat periodically the air mass in saidheat-absorbing elements at thetime of minimum volume of said air chamberand maximum volume of said cornbustion chamber.

3. In a heat engine, the combination comprising a combustion chamber,means to cool said combustion chamber, a piston therefor, a shaft, crankmeans for converting reciprocation of said combustion chamber pistoninto rotation of said shaft, an air chamber, means to cool said airchamber, a piston therefor, crank means for converting the reciprocationof said air chamber :piston into rotation of said shaft in suchrelationship that the minimum volume of said air chamber correspondswith the maximum volume of said combustion chamber, means to operatesaid combustion -chamber as a two-cycle internal combustion engine,means for operating said air chamber as a [Constant-mass air engine,means for causing the exhaust gases from said combustion chamber toheatfor a predetermined v period the air mass in said air chamber at thetime of said minimum volume of said air chamber and said maximum volumeof said combustion chamber.

`4. In a heat engine, the combination comprising a combustion chamberand an air chamber positioned one above the other in a cylinder, meansto cool said combustion chamber and said air lchamber, av double-actingpiston each end thereof serving respectively said combustion chamber andsaid air chamber, a shaft, means for converting reciprocation of sa-idpiston into rotation of said shaft, said double-acting piston effectingin its reciprocation a minimum volume of said air chamber with acorresponding maximum Volume of said combustion chamber, an exhaustvalve for said combustion chamber, a hollow heat-absorbing elementpositioned in a heat-transfer chamber exterior to and parallel with saidcylinder and in communication with said air chamber, means to operatesaid combustion chamber as a two-cycle internal combustion engine, meansto operate said air chamber as a constant-mass air engine, duct meansconducting the exhaust from said exhaust valve into said heat-transferchamber, means for causing the exhaust gases from said combustionchamber through the media of said exhaust valve to heat periodically theair mass in said heatabsorbing element at the time of said minimumvolume of said air chamber and said maximum volume of said combustionchamber.

5. A heat engine, comprising a cylinder, cooling means associated withsaid cylinder, a. piston in said cylinder, a shaft, means to convert therotation of said shaft into reciprocation of said piston, an air enginevolume in open operative communication with said piston, a coolingelement and a heat-interchanger positioned in said air engine volume, ahollow heat-absorbing element connected to said air engine volume, saidheat-absorbing element positioned in an enclosing chamber, means forsupplying and maintaining a predetermined minimum of air pressure insaid air engine volume, means for timing the discharge of a combustiblemixture to generate a timed heat interval in said enclosing chamber intimed relation to the reciprocation of s-aid piston in said cylinder.

NATHANIEL B. WALES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Mann Aug. 2, 1910

